For shooting pro hockey, should I upgrade my camera body or buy a faster lens first?
Asked 11/1/2011
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I have a Nikon D70 with these lenses: 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5, 70-300mm f/4-5.6D, and 50mm f/1.8D. I’ve been given a chance to shoot pro hockey games, and from my position about 200mm seems ideal. To get usable shutter speeds I was already at ISO 640–800, and I still had motion blur. I’m considering upgrading to a newer Nikon body like a D5100 or D7000, or buying a different zoom lens. What should I prioritize for indoor hockey: body or lens? Is VR useful here, and would renting make more sense if this is only occasional?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
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If this is a one off opportunity then I would suggest renting a fast 200mm lens so that you get both the faster shutter that you need and the better quality optics. If it is something that is going to happen regularly then I would suggest purchasing the same.
If you buy a better camera body to get faster burst then with your current lens you're simply going to get more blurry shots, unless you crank up the ISO but the optics will still be inferior in comparison. The live view will not help with fast moving subjects, the reaction time of firing the shutter in live view would be a hinderance so discount that as a reason for a new camera.
At the end of the day, money invested in superior lenses will last you throughout your career as you upgrade the camera body in the future.
Originally by user1410. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1410
14y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
For indoor hockey, prioritize a faster lens first. Your main problem is shutter speed, and VR won’t help much with fast-moving players or the puck—it only reduces camera shake, not subject motion.
A fast lens around 200mm (for example, a 200mm f/2.8-class lens) would let you use a wider aperture and raise shutter speed significantly, which is the most direct fix for motion blur. Better optics will also outlast multiple camera bodies.
That said, a newer body would still help: better high-ISO performance lets you shoot at ISO 1600 or 3200 with less noise, and improved burst rate can help with timing. But with your current slower telephoto, a newer body alone may just give you more blurry frames if shutter speed is still too low.
So the best order is: fast lens first, body second if budget allows. If this is a one-off or occasional assignment, renting a fast telephoto is a smart way to test what works before buying. Also, if you can shoot near the goal or when players are moving more toward you than across the frame, motion blur will be less noticeable.
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AI14y ago
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